audience: tsurumaru

[cyclists]

Comments

[cyclists]

Problematic...

[a soft echo of those words, then continuing]

And now you feel as though the situation is out of your hands?

[preowned]

It's up to my comrades now.

[ he goes to sip at his tea, only to realize his cup is out. tsuru reaches over for the pot. ]

I made sure of that.

[cyclists]

... Ookurikara and some others, perhaps?

[if lune had to hazard a guess]

And where have you gone? If you are not able to intervene further?

[preowned]

[ he nods his head at lune's guess ]

Hopefully I won't be too far away... I may not be myself anymore, but I really have no idea how it might turn out. I can only trust that they'll do the right thing.

[cyclists]

Not yourself...?

[well that doesn't sound good]

[preowned]

It's a long story!

[ one he assumes lune wouldn't want to sit through ]

I'm sure it'll go alright.

[ with or without him ]

[cyclists]

[surprise surprise]

... I rather enjoy long stories.

[so apparently they're up for it if tsuru is]

Will you make sure that it is full of surprises?

[preowned]

[ .... ah.

he finishes pouring himself another cup of tea, and lifts the pot a little. ]

First, do you need a refill, Lune-chan?

[cyclists]

[they hold their cup out easily. hell yea more tea

in an amused tone:]

You seem rather used to caring for others.

[preowned]

[ he'll pour him some more ]

There are a lot of young ones back in the citadel. And...

[ he trails off, then shakes his head. tsuru sets the pot back down. ]

I hope I'm doing a good job of it?

[cyclists]

The citadel...

[just thoughtfully echoed, before they manage another soft laugh]

I have been cared for in many ways over the course of my years.... and I appreciate the sincerity behind your actions.

[rather than a sense of obligation or pity]

[preowned]

[ he grins, and then takes a sip of his tea. ]

I'm very honest.

[ that's true, at least. he is a meme who loves practical jokes but

tsurumaru doesn't typical do things he doesn't want to, unless it's for their mission. ]

... mm, do you know anything of Japanese history?

[cyclists]

Others might stand to learn from you...

[just. thoughtfully.

but - ]

Hmm... I know of some parts better than others. However I believe that even in cases of history and what one might consider a common subject, I would still rather hear how it looked through your eyes.

[preowned]

Well... our mission back home is, essentially, to protect history. There is a group who wishes to change key events in the past that shaped Japan into what it is. So, Ookurikara and I, as well as our friends, travel to the past to stop them.

[ it's a simplified version of events, and sol got a little more detail, but that was also because sol flat out asked why tsuru was his own weapon. ]

If you know parts of it, then I assume you heard of Date Masamune? Due to the interference of the enemy, he was... persuaded to become one of the great unifiers.

[cyclists]

[there is just more sipping of tea here as lune listens, apparently intrigued by the explanation]

Ah...

Appealing to the innate greed of a great man?

[thoughtfully:]

What a different Japan there would have been, if the Date ruled in place of the Tokugawa....

[preowned]

Right, right? So of course we had to put a stop to it.

[ this is easier that lune at least is somewhat familiar. ]

It's a little complicated, but... essentially, there was corrupted armor that came to life. We had to defeat it, in order to stop him. But it began to... [ he frowns ] enchant Ookurikara, more or less. He was falling for its spell. So I simply intervened before it could possess him.

[cyclists]

[ . . . there is a thoughtful pause at that]

And what came after your intervention...?

[preowned]

I was brought here soon after that.

[ he shrugs. ]

But it'll give them a great chance to defeat the armor.

[cyclists]

... you do not think that such a thing would be too self-sacrificial?

[preowned]

It's better me than Kara-bou.

[ who would probably have less of a chance, considering the difference of how the both of them were going to be captured ]

[cyclists]

Because your ways are more flexible than his?

[tsurumaru seems like the type who would be able to pull himself from a difficult situation, whereas ookurikara might fixate on it even to his own detriment

kind of like

now?]

[preowned]

You shouldn't let him hear you say that. He'll want to fight you too.

[ a pause ]

More than he already does!

[ he still wants to fight sol more though ]

[cyclists]

[there is a laugh at that]

I do not find fault in those who know themselves. I only worry that it might hinder them from growth.

[why do they constantly sound so damn old]

But if he wishes to cross swords with me, I would not be opposed. I hope that I will be able to keep up with him.

[preowned]

If you're concerned about being rusty, I'd be happy to spar with you. Maybe it'll help revive your reflexes.

[ since they have said it's been a while since they held a sword. ]

I wouldn't want the lovely Lune-chan to be embarrassed by grouchy Kara-bou.

[cyclists]

[there is a laugh at that, apparently amused at being called lovely]

Embarrassed... Well, I will take any opportunity to improve my own ability.

Perhaps I will even learn something.